Post-translational modification of RNA m6A demethylase ALKBH5 regulates ROS-induced DNA damage response

Faithful genome integrity maintenance plays an essential role in cell survival. Here, we identify the RNA demethylase ALKBH5 as a key regulator that protects cells from DNA damage and apoptosis during reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced stress. We find that ROS significantly induces global mRNA N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) levels by modulating ALKBH5 post-translational modifications (PTMs), leading to the rapid and efficient induction of thousands of genes involved in a variety of biological processes including DNA damage repair. Mechanistically, ROS promotes ALKBH5 SUMOylation through activating ERK/JNK signaling, leading to inhibition of ALKBH5 m⁶A demethylase activity by blocking substrate accessibility. Moreover, ERK/JNK/ALKBH5-PTMs/m⁶A axis is activated by ROS in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) in vivo in mice, suggesting a physiological role of this molecular pathway in the maintenance of genome stability in HSPCs. Together, our study uncovers a molecular mechanism involving ALKBH5 PTMs and increased mRNA m⁶A levels that protect genomic integrity of cells in response to ROS.     

Intermittent high glucose induces pyroptosis of rat H9C2 cardiomyocytes via sodium–glucose cotransporter 1

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Cardiomyocyte death is an important pathogenic process in cardiac complications of diabetes. Diabetic patients often suffer glycemic variability. Pyroptosis is...     

Structural basis for RNA recognition by the N-terminal tandem RRM domains of human RBM45

RBM45 is an RNA-binding protein involved in neural development, whose aggregation is associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD). However, the mechanisms of RNA-binding and aggregation of RBM45 remain unelucidated. Here, we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal tandem RRM domains of human RBM45 in complex with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). Our structural and biochemical results revealed that both the RRM1 and RRM2 of RBM45 recognized the GAC sequence of RNA/ssDNA. Two aromatic residues and an arginine residue in each RRM were critical for RNA-binding, and the interdomain linker was also involved in RNA-binding. Two RRMs formed a pair of antiparallel RNA-binding sites, indicating that the N-terminal tandem RRM domains of RBM45 bound separate GAC motifs in one RNA strand or GAC motifs in different RNA strands. Our findings will be helpful in the identification of physiologic targets of RBM45 and provide evidence for understanding the physiologic and pathologic functions of RBM45.     

Comparative analysis of root sprouting and its vigour in temperate herbs: anatomical correlates and environmental predictors

Background and AimsRoot sprouting (RS), i.e. the ability to form adventitious buds on roots, is an important form of clonal growth in a number of species, and serves as both a survival strategy and a means of spatial expansion, particularly in plants growing in severely and recurrently disturbed habitats. Occurrence and/or success of plants in severely and recurrently disturbed habitats are determined by two components, namely the ability to produce adventitious buds on roots and the vigour of their production. As mechanisms behind different magnitudes of RS remain unclear, our study investigates: (1) whether the presence or absence of specific tissues in roots can promote or limit RS; and (2) whether there is some relationship between RS ability, RS vigour and species niche.MethodsWe studied RS ability together with RS vigour in 182 Central European herbaceous species under controlled experimental conditions. We used phylogenetic logistic regressions to model the presence of RS, RS vigour, the relationship between RS and anatomical traits and the relationship between RS and parameters of species niches.Key ResultsA quarter of herbs examined were able to produce adventitious buds on roots. They were characterized by their preference for open dry habitats, the presence of secondary root thickening and the occurrence of sclerified cortical cells in roots. Root sprouting vigour was not associated with any specific anatomical pattern, but was correlated with the environmental niches of different species, indicating that preferred disturbed and dry habitats might represent a selection pressure for more vigorous root sprouters than undisturbed and wet habitats.ConclusionsOur study shows that sprouting from roots is quite common in temperate dicotyledonous herbs. Two components of RS – ability and vigour – should be considered separately in future studies. We would also like to focus more attention on RS in herbs from other regions as well as on external forces and internal mechanisms regulating evolution and the functions of RS in both disturbed and undisturbed habitats.     

荻草谷网蚜唾液蛋白基因Sm13498的克隆及功能分析

【目的】荻草谷网蚜Sitobion miscanthi为我国小麦Triticum aestivum主产区麦蚜优势种;Sm13498蛋白是在荻草谷网蚜唾液腺中特异表达的唾液蛋白。本研究旨在探析荻草谷网蚜功能未知的Sm13498在调节植物防御反应中的潜在作用。【方法】基于荻草谷网蚜唾液腺转录组测序数据,PCR克隆Sm13498的cDNA全长序列,并进行生物信息学分析;采用RT-qPCR测定Sm13498在取食小麦叶片不同时间的荻草谷网蚜无翅成蚜中的表达动态;通过酵母分泌系统验证Sm13498蛋白信号肽的分泌功能;利用根癌农杆菌Agrobacterium tumefaciens介导在本氏烟Nicotiana benthamiana中瞬时表达技术鉴定Sm13498蛋白功能及亚细胞定位。【结果】克隆获得了荻草谷网蚜Sm13498 cDNA全长序列(GenBank登录号：MW346655),开放阅读框(ORF)全长783 bp,编码260个氨基酸,预测蛋白分子量28.01 kD,第1-22位氨基酸为N端信号肽。系统进化树显示,Sm13498与豌豆蚜Acyrthosiphon pisum的功能未知蛋白LOC100159087precursor(GenBank登录号: NP_001313548.1)亲缘关系最近(氨基酸序列一致性为71.7%)。RT-qPCR结果表明,Sm13498在荻草谷网蚜无翅成蚜取食小麦叶片12 h时表达水平达到最高。含有Sm13498信号肽片段的酿酒酵母Saccharomyces cerevisiae YTK12可在YPRAA培养基正常生长,并可将无色2,3,5-氯化三苯基四氮唑(TTC)还原为不可溶的暗红色的氯化三苯基四氮唑(TTF),证实其信号肽具有分泌活性。经根癌农杆菌介导在本氏烟瞬时表达Sm13498蛋白可抑制Bcl-2相关X蛋白(Bcl-2-associated X protein, BAX)及病原菌激发子INF1诱导的程序性细胞死亡。亚细胞定位结果表明,Sm13498-GFP融合蛋白定位于本氏烟叶片细胞膜。【结论】结果说明荻草谷网蚜唾液蛋白Sm13498可抑制植物防御反应。本研究为发掘荻草谷网蚜唾液中效应子, 深入解析麦蚜对小麦品种强适应性奠定了基础。     

Characterizing the impacts of highway pavement in a newly planned greater bay area economic belt in China

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - As an ambitious strategy of national interest in China and with an aim at achieving the ‘one-hour economic circle’ among Greater Bay...     

Revisiting the phosphotyrosine binding pocket of Fyn SH2 domain led to the identification of novel SH2 superbinders.

Protein engineering through directed evolution is an effective way to obtain proteins with novel functions with the potential applications as tools for diagnosis or therapeutics. Many natural proteins have undergone directed evolution in vitro in the test tubes in the laboratories worldwide, resulting in the numerous protein variants with novel or enhanced functions. we constructed here an SH2 variant library by randomizing 8 variable residues in its phosphotyrosine (pTyr) binding pocket. Selection of this library by a pTyr peptide led to the identification of SH2 variants with enhanced affinities measured by EC50. Fluorescent polarization was then applied to quantify the binding affinities of the newly identified SH2 variants. As a result, three SH2 variants, named V3, V13 and V24, have comparable binding affinities with the previously identified SH2 triple‐mutant superbinder. Biolayer Interferometry assay was employed to disclose the kinetics of the binding of these SH2 superbinders to the phosphotyrosine peptide. The results indicated that all the SH2 superbinders have two‐orders increase of the dissociation rate when binding the pTyr peptide while there was no significant change in their associate rates. Intriguingly, though binding the pTyr peptide with comparable affinity with other SH2 superbinders, the V3 does not bind to the sTyr peptide. However, variant V13 and V24 have cross‐reactivity with both pTyr and sTyr peptides. The newly identified superbinders could be utilized as tools for the identification of pTyr‐containing proteins from tissues under different physiological or pathophysiological conditions and may have the potential in the therapeutics.     

基于MaxEnt模型的延河流域草本植物适生分布与功能性状分析

明确延河流域常见草本植物的潜在适生区分布,是植被恢复工作持续推进的基础。本研究收集了延河流域8种常见草本植物的地理分布信息和13个环境变量,采用MaxEnt和ArcGIS模拟了延河流域常见草本植物在当前气候下的潜在适生性分布,进而研究这8种不同草本植物适生性分布与功能性状变异特征之间的相关关系。研究结果显示：根据物种-性状排序图的分布格局判断,本研究选择的七个功能性状在植物所属科之间发生了明显趋异分化现象,在PC1右侧为禾本科植物,PC1左侧为菊科、豆科和唇形科植物。对物种适生性分布模拟结果表明,达乌里胡枝子在研究区内的适生性最高,百里香的适生性最低,表明达乌里胡枝子比其他常见草本物种更适合被选择为该流域的植被恢复的先锋物种。在功能性状变异特征相关性分析中,物种适生区大小与比叶面积变异系数呈显著正相关,与其他植物功能性状变异特征不显著。因此,比叶面积的变异系数更适合作为指示延河流域草本植物适生区大小的性状。     

黄土区不同恢复年限草地群落生物量及根冠比对氮添加的响应

大气氮沉降增加作为全球变化的主要环境问题之一,已引发人们的广泛关注,持续的氮沉降对草地生态系统的组成、结构和功能产生重要影响。为深入了解草地恢复进程中群落生物量和根冠比对氮沉降的响应,以黄土区3个不同恢复年限（初期12a、中期28a和后期37a）的天然草地为研究对象,通过设置6个氮添加水平,CK （0）、N1（2.34g m^-2a^-1）、N2（4.67g m^-2a^-1）、N3（9.34g m^-2a^-1）、N4（18.68g m^-2a^-1）、N5（37.35g m^-2a^-1）来测定草地群落地上生物量、地下生物量和总生物量,并计算根冠比和氮响应效率（NRE）。结果表明：（1）地上生物量在恢复中期最大,随氮添加梯度增加,地上生物量在恢复初期和恢复后期呈不显著上升趋势,对氮添加表现为非线性的正响应（ΔNRE>0）,在恢复中期呈不显著下降趋势,对氮添加表现为非线性的负响应（ΔNRE<0）。（2）群落地下生物量对氮添加无显著响应,总生物量只有在恢复后期的N4添加水平下,与对照存在显著差异。（3）根冠比在恢复初期时,N3添加水平下显著高于对照和其他氮添加水平,其余恢复年限对氮添加无显著响应。综上所述,通过分析比较黄土区不同恢复年限草地群落的地上、地下及总生物量和根冠比对氮添加的响应。建议对该区域开展试点实验,实行适应性草地管理,如进行两年一次刈割或轻度放牧（2只羊/hm²）,来探寻更科学有效的管理措施,使草地实现系统性恢复,进而满足生态系统容量和社会需求的变化。